This event was recorded on July 31, 2023 at the Aspen Institute, in partnership with Aspen Public Radio.
“Living our best lives” has become a cliche — but health, wellness, and joy should not be privileged states of being. Hear from leaders with new ideas for tackling today’s mental health crisis, so wellness becomes the status quo. Consider the possibilities that open up when families feel a deep sense of connection with each other and their communities, and all have opportunities to prosper and be well.
Agenda:
Welcome - Anne Mosle, Vice President, Aspen Institute, and Executive Director, Ascend at the Aspen Institute
Mental Health is the New Normal - Mental health is on our minds and our lips, not hiding in the shadows, and we’re doing something to boost it. Hear from leaders who are making strong mental health a way of life – in state systems, in communities, and in our public spaces – instead of a crisis. The panel includes:
- Laurie Miller Brotman, PhD (2015 Ascend Fellow) - Bezos Family Foundation Professor of Early Childhood Development, Professor, Departments of Population Health and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, NYU Langone Health
- Laura Huerta-Migus, Deputy Director, Institute of Museum and Library Services
- Ron-Li Liaw, MD, Cannon Y. & Lyndia Harvey Chair in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Chair of the Pediatric Mental Health Institute, Children’s Hospital Colorado
- Lorelei Vargas, Chief Community Impact Officer, Trinity Church Wall Street (moderator)
This is What Civic Imagination Looks Like - What would it take to transform American politics, to build consensus and bridge our widening divides? Hear from leaders with bold yet practical dreams for our democracy and communities, dreams that see the best in each of us and embody pathways to truly representative government. The panel includes:
- Melvin Carter, Mayor, St. Paul, MN
- Gillian White, Senior Vice President of Revenue and Programming, Capital B (moderator)
- Layla Zaidane, President and CEO, Millennial Action Project
Integrating Wisdom: What Indigenous Communities Have Always Known - Children need to be connected to be well - to family, community, Earth, our ancestors, future generations, culture, spirit - and most importantly, to themselves. How might early childhood and education be different if we were more connected to family, community, and culture? The panel includes:
- Deana Around Him, DrPH, Research Scholar, Child Trends
- Joe Hobot, PhD, President and CEO, American Indian OIC
- Jessica Saniġaq Ullrich, PhD, Assistant Professor, Washington State University
- Gillian White, Senior Vice President of Revenue and Programming, Capital B (moderator)
Birth, Joy, and Justice - When you dial the number 844-543-8569, you’ll hear something revolutionary: joyful Black birthing stories. The Black Birth Joyline, presented by Birthright podcast, is a reminder that although the narrative surrounding Black maternal health can be one of pain, there is a powerful movement underway full of joy and possibility. Come hear the many ways leaders are recentering joy in becoming a parent. The panel includes:
- Twylla Dillion, PhD, Executive Director, HealthConnect One
- Emily Miller, MD, Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Division Director of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University and Women and Infants Hospital
- Kimberly Seals Allers, Founder, Irth (moderator)
- Atiya Weiss, Executive Director, Burke Foundation
Closing remarks - James White, Senior Program Manager, Ascend at the Aspen Institute
Click here to listen to Day 2 of VisionXChange.
Click here to learn more about Ascend at the Aspen Institute.